WWF Baltic Sea Farmer of the Year Award – demonstrating how farmers can save the Baltic Sea

The importance of sustainable agriculture to reduce the threat of eutrophication of the Baltic Sea cannot be underestimated. Agriculture accounts for more than half of the nutrient inputs leading to the eutrophication.

Farmers around the Baltic Sea therefore play a crucial role if we want to change the current situation, since they have the opportunity to reduce nutrient losses from their farms. With the WWF Baltic Sea Farmer of the Year Award – we want to inspire farmers in the entire Baltic Sea region to take an active part in combating eutrophication.

The Award was founded 2009 by WWF in cooperation with farmers’ organisations from around the Baltic Sea. The competition is held on a regional level based upon the results of national competitions held in each participating Baltic Sea coastal country. A prize sum of 1,000 Euros is given to each national winner and a prize sum of 10,000 Euros to the regional winner, selected by an international jury.

The purpose of the award is to highlight best practices in “Baltic-friendly” farming and to recognize and highlight farmers who are leading in innovative measures to reduce runoff from their farms. The award aims to highlight the important role of farmers and the good work they are already doing, providing excellent examples that others can learn from. It is also intended to promote cooperation around the region in order to further the application, and promotion, of good environmental practice in the agricultural sector. The eutrophication of the sea should be a common concern for all of us. It affects all of the countries surrounding the Sea and we all share the responsibility to stop it!

Read more about this year’s competition and criteria for nomination in the form that can be downloaded to the right. The regional winner will be announced in the fall.